SCO leaders attend military exercise

After the SCO summit, where terrorism has been a main talking point, the Russian president and other regional leaders are due to attend the end of the “Peace Mission 2007” military exercises in the Russian Urals.

Russia and China are engaged in a joint military exercise to show that their words have some force behind them.

The final part of the maneuvers was marked with a liberation of a small town that was taken by a group of militants. The aim was to free the town with the lowest number of casualties possible.

Both on the land and from the air the Russian and Chinese military approach the town.

The maneuvers are only practice for a possible real anti-terror operations in the future.

In all more than three thousand Russian and Chinese servicemen are engaged in the “Peace Mission 2007”.

Smaller detachments from several Central Asian states including Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were also participating in the exercise.

“It is the first time the exercises are being held by the six members of the SCO simultaneously. The interchange of experience will be very useful for further co-operation,” stated Russian Maj. General Oleg Kolyada.

And the first time China has sent this many troops for maneuvers in another country.

Speaking in Bishkek, President Vladimir Putin offered the SCO member-states the opportunity to hold regular joint military maneuvers in the future.